EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — The UConn football team went all 12 rounds with Liberty on Saturday afternoon and eventually the Huskies won, 36-33, by knockout. The 15,107 fans in attendance stormed onto Rentschler Field in jubilation, knowing the win clinched a record of at least .500 or better and bowl eligibility for the first time since 2015, all in head coach Jim Mora’s first season.
The final punches were exchanged in the middle of the fourth quarter when Liberty, leading 33-28, decided to go on a fourth-and-1. Flames head coach Hugh Freeze called for a screen pass. Quarterback Johnathan Bennett found Malik Caper four yards behind the line of scrimmage and linebacker Jackson Mitchell made the tackle for loss.
A few plays later, with UConn’s offense having started on the Flames’ side of the field, quarterback Zion Turner dropped a perfect pass into receiver Kevens Clercius’ hands and he strolled into the end zone to give the Huskies a 36-33 lead with just under six minutes remaining.
